Full Name: Edward Paul Adams

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Case Status: Missing

Record ID#: 0162

*The names “Jane Doe”  and “John Doe” are English names used when the person’s true name is not known. If used above, the name refers to a person of unknown identity.

Date of Birth*: Around 1901
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Age at the Time: 3
Age Group: Child (6 to 9 Years Old)
Biological Sex: Male
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Ethnicity: Caucasian or White
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*If the date says January 1, this is often just a placeholder for an unknown specific date. It usually means “sometime that year”.

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Date of the Disappearance*: April 16, 1910

Description: On the morning of April 17, 1910, Edward set out with a few friends to fish for trout along a secluded stream near what is now known as James City. The outing was meant to be a simple day of fun, but it took a strange and unsettling turn. As the boys fished, a man approached them—someone they didn’t recognize. Believing he might be a game warden, the boys panicked and scattered. In the confusion, Edward was separated from the group and vanished.

Authorities quickly organized a search. Bloodhounds were brought in, and teams combed through forests, caves, waterways, and even a nearby reservoir. Despite their best efforts, not a single clue emerged to suggest where Edward had gone.

That night, the mystery deepened. The Adams family received a series of unusual phone calls—at least twelve in total. The caller claimed to be “Watson of Russell City” and asked repeatedly whether Edward had been found, along with other vague and troubling questions. Later, when the family contacted the real Mr. Watson, he insisted he hadn’t made the calls. Residents familiar with the local phone lines also reported no knowledge of any strange activity involving the telephone system.

Then, on April 29, another disturbing piece of the puzzle appeared. A rural mail carrier discovered a card pinned to an old wooden bridge not far from the Adams home. The note read, “Will return your son for $10,000,” and on the reverse, it simply said, “Leave Reward.” Investigators looked into the lead, but it brought no answers—just more questions.

Even more unsettling was a second disappearance that occurred the same day Edward went missing. Thirteen miles to the north, a 7-year-old boy named Michael Steffan also vanished while fishing. His case bore striking similarities to Edward’s, but no evidence ever surfaced to connect the two incidents.

To this day, Edward’s fate remains one of the region’s most haunting unsolved mysteries.

Multiple Victims?: Yes

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*If the date says January 1, this is often just a placeholder for an unknown specific date. It usually means “sometime that year”.

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Description: Unknown

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Suspected Homicide?:

Multiple Victims?: Yes

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*If the date says January 1, this is often just a placeholder for an unknown specific date. It usually means “sometime that year”.

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